Pre-class Hors d' Oeuvres Recipes

Sea Scallops with Minted Pea Puree

2-½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 small leek, white and pale green parts, cut into ¼-inch pieces, well washed
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 tablespoons homemade chicken stock
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, plus 2-½ tablespoons chiffonade for garnish
12 medium scallops
24 Melba toast rounds

In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over low heat. Add the garlic, shallots, leeks, salt and pepper. Cook until very soft but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the peas, raise the heat to medium, and cook, stirring, until peas are cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes.

Transfer half of pea mixture to a food processor. Add the chicken stock and ½ tablespoon of oil. Pulse the mixture is a coarse puree. Transfer to a medium bowl. Process the remaining half of the peas until smooth, about 30 seconds. Stir into the pureed peas. Add the chopped mint. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and set aside.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a medium skillet of medium-high heat. Season the scallops with salt and pepper. Add the scallops to the hot pan, and sear until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from pan, let cool and slice in half crosswise.
Place 1 teaspoon of the pea puree on each of the Melba toast rounds and top with a scallop. Garnish with shredded mint and serve.

Tomato, Basil and Olive Tartlets

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ kosher salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/3 cup ice water

4 ounces Emmentaler cheese, grated
4 medium vine ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
½ cup plus two tablespoons thinly sliced basil
2 ounces black olives, pitted and thinly sliced
3 large eggs
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
Salt and pepper, to taste

To make tart shells: Place the flour and the salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Slowly add the ice water, pulsing to combine, until the dough comes together. Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and form into a flat disk. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour or overnight.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into 2 equal pieces. Roll out each piece to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 3-inch rounds and press each into 2-1/4” tartlet molds. Trim excess. Arrange the molds on two baking sheets, prick bottoms with fork, cover and refrigerate dough in the pans until firm, about 15 minutes.

To make tarts: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the tartlets until set and dry, 12 to 14 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through for even cooking. Do not brown. Transfer tartlets to a wire rack and cool.

In a medium bowl, toss together the cheese, tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of the basil and the olives. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and the milk. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Fill each tartlet with 1 teaspoon of the tomato mixture. Top each with 2 teaspoons of the egg mixture. Transfer shells to 2 baking sheets. Bake until the filling is golden and set, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through for even browning. Transfer the tartlets to a wire rack to cool slightly. Remove each tartlet from the pan, sprinkle with remaining basil and serve.

Asian Meatballs with Snow Peas

1 pound ground pork
6 ounces sweet Italian sausage, removed from casing
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
¼ cup finely chopped water chestnuts
4 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

Kosher salt
5 ounces snow peas (at least 48)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 garlic clove, minced
½ cup chicken stock
2 teaspoons packed dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon chili paste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, use a fork to combine the pork, sausage, 1 teaspoon of the ginger, shallot, water chestnuts, 2 teaspoons of the soy sauce and the cilantro. Use your hands to form the mixture into 1-inch balls, placing the meatballs in a large roasting pan.

Cook the meatballs in the roasting pan for 20 to 25 minutes, shaking the pan every 5 minutes to rotate the meatballs and brown the sides evenly. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the snow peas to the water and cook just until bright green, about 30 seconds. Drain the snow peas and immediately transfer them to an ice bath to prevent further cooking. Drain and set aside.

Remove the roasting pan from the oven and transfer the meatballs to a medium bowl. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water. Place the roasting pan, and any collected fat, over medium heat. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock to the pan, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Stir in the remaining soy sauce, the brown sugar and the chili paste. Bring the mixture to a boil and whisk in the cornstarch mixture, simmer until thickened, about 1 minute. Pour the warm sauce over the meatballs. Fold snow peas in half and skewer with toothpick. Serve with meatballs.

Oil-Cured Olives with Herbs de Provence

2 cups oil-cured black olives
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence

Place the olives in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, combine the olive oil, vinegar and herbs. Bring to a simmer. Pour the warm mixture over the olives and let them marinate at room temperature for at least two hours. Serve at room temperature.

Pickled Olives with Fennel and Orange

2 cups large green olives
¼ cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
½ cup shaved fennel
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup tarragon vinegar
1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds, lightly toasted

Place the olives in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, combine the orange juice, the zest and the fennel. Bring to a simmer and cook until the mixture has reduced to a syrupy consistency, about 5 minutes. Add the olive oil, vinegar and fennel seeds. Pour the warm mixture over the olives and let them marinate at room temperature for at least 2 hours. Serve at room temperature.

Fennel and Golden Raisin Biscotti

2 tablespoons whole fennel seeds, toasted
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons semolina
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
2 large eggs
¼ cup milk
½ cup golden raisins, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large egg lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Finely grind 1 tablespoon of the fennel seed. Combine the ground and whole fennel seed, flour, baking powder, salt and ¼ cup of the semolina in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until combined. Add the parmesan and mix in. Add the butter and beat until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Gradually pour into the dough. Mix until just combined. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead in the raisins.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a baking sheet with olive oil and set aside. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Roll each piece into a log measuring 1-½ inches thick and about 7 inches long. Sprinkle with remaining semolina. Transfer the logs to the prepared baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.

Brush each log with egg wash. Bake until they are golden brown and firm to the touch, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, about 30 minutes. Reduce the oven 250 degrees.
Using a serrated knife, slice the logs crosswise on a diagonal into ¼ inch thick pieces that are about 3 to 4 inches long. Arrange the slices cut-side down on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and bake, turning the biscotti halfway through cooking time for even browning until crisp, about 40 minutes. Cool completely and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.